Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention

Synopsis

Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention by James F. Keenen, etc.

Divided into two sections, this volume first presents 26 case studies of HIV/AIDS from Africa, Asia, Australisia, Europe, Latin America and North America to highlight the complexity of HIV prevention and treatment and illustrate both the relevance of local issues and cultural concerns. The second part of the book contains six essays written by theologians who examine the moral issues involved and demonstrate how the Roman Catholic moral tradition can help in constructively mediating the apparent clash of values occuring in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Reviews

Keenan . . . has done a remarkable service for the pastoral life of the Church, while the various case responses collected here reveal the richness and subtlety of the Catholic moral tradition trying to respond-if somewhat late in the day-to the greatest moral and medical crisis of the twentieth century. -Studia Moralia a fascinating read an informative collection of articles which provides a useful snapshot of Catholic efforts to deal with this terrible epidemic in a compassionate way. The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly

impressive, informative and wide-ranging This book should carry a health warning: it will challenge you far beyond anything you have ever imagined. You will realise that neither you nor anyone else has the whole answer. Have the courage to buy it and read it. The Tablet, 27 January 2001

although this topic seems very narrow, the diversity of theological voices assures that it is never dull reading .The book is commendable for the generally very high quality of the essays, which is unusual in an edited volume. The essays are for the most part written in an accessible style and should not put off the theologically uninitiated. The use of over a dozen real cases anchors the discussion in reality and places the work squarely within the casuistic tradition. In a painful but not sensationalistic manner these cases bring the reader to understand both the worldwide dimensions of the HIV epidemic and the personal dimensions of a small number of the millions of lives it is destroying .this book is an impressive achievement-both because of what the authors say about the topic and because of the example it gives of the reflections of a truly world church, struggling with a truly worldwide problem, told by a truly world-class collection of theologians. America, March 26, 2001 Dealing with issues of stigma, dogma versus compassion, women's rights, homophobia, and economics versus religion, it is a fascinating investigation into the Church's evolution in response to the global pandemic. Positive Nation 68/69 (July/August 200 A brilliantly edited and highly informative book This is a challenging and unsettling book with the capacity to produce moral outrage not only in those with a specifically Catholic, or even Judaeo-Christian moral code, but to those who share the common humanity of John Donne: 'Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.' - British Journal of General Practice, April 2001

About the Author

James F. Keenan, S.J., is professor of theological ethics at Boston College. He was principal editor of Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention and is the author of numerous books, including The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism, Moral Wisdom: Lessons and Texts from the Catholic Tradition, Virtues for Ordinary Christians, Commandments of Compassion, Goodness and Rightness in Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae, and (with Daniel Harrington) Jesus and Virtue Ethics annd Paul and Virtue Ethics.